Beast In The Basement Read online

  When Coulter struck, on the morning of September 13, Sparks is thought to have been completing work on her latest novel, Jade Nexus And The Cathedral Of Screams. This title was set to close the author's phenomenally popular trilogy, on which film adaptation work has long been underway.

  It is understood that the obsessive Coulter deleted and rewrote a large portion of the novel, while its author suffered a terrifying ordeal in the cellar. We were unable to reach Sparks herself, who was being interviewed by police detectives at the time of going to press. However, her agent Maurice Spence told us: "It is true that Coulter deleted all trace of the novel's final chapters on my client's computer itself. Thankfully, she had the presence of mind to use an online back-up service, which automatically saves drafts in 'the cloud'. Shortly before his death, Coulter e-mailed me his own laughable version of the book, which has of course been discarded in favour of the work as originally intended. This is the novel which will still be published by Bloomsdale & Sons on its release date of September 28, so her fans – and fans of free speech – have no cause for concern."

  AFTERWORD

  Dear valued reader,

  I very much hope you enjoyed this cheery, happy-go-lucky tale. Thank you for buying an independently published book.

  My thanks on this one go to JMR Higgs (whose own novella The Brandy Of The Damned really should be your next port of call if you haven't yet had the pleasure and like disturbing stories of medium length), William Gallagher, Steven Hall, Jenny Colgan and Chuck Wendig for their reading and encouragement. And extra special thanks to Caroline Fish, who created the beautiful cover.

  If you enjoyed Beast In The Basement, I'd be really grateful if you'd spread the word. Perhaps if you bought it on Amazon, you could write a review there, or just hit 'Like' (provided you liked, of course.) And if you are kind enough to do that, I'd be insanely grateful if you did your best not to give away the story's main twists and turns.

  There's the sticky problem, of course, of referring to the main character without giving away his true identity. In the blurb for this book, I get around this by simply describing him as "a reclusive and unstable author". Robert Coulter is, after all, an author, even if he has only ever previously written short stories, so this isn't dishonest.

  I really don't mean to tell you how to phrase any much-appreciated review you choose to write. It's just that this story partly hinges on surprise, so it would be a real shame to spoil them for other readers before they even open the book.

  This plea obviously isn't really aimed at you – I'm talking to all those others. Yes. Thanks again for your purchase in a crowded market. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on the book on Twitter – maybe see you there.

  Beast Wishes,

  Jason Arnopp

  September 2012

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Jason Arnopp is a scriptwriter and novelist.

  He wrote the 2011 horror feature film Stormhouse, which world-premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival that year. He also script-edited urban thriller The Man Inside (2012), which starred Peter Mullan, Michelle Ryan, David Harewood and Ashley 'Bashy' Thomas.

  Arnopp has written various official works of fiction for the world of British TV series Doctor Who, in the form of prose, audio books and audio plays. These include the audio books Doctor Who: The Gemini Contagion (2011) and The Sarah Jane Adventures: Deadly Download (2010), both published by AudioGO. In 2006, he wrote further official tie-in fiction with the novel Friday The 13th: Hate-Kill-Repeat for Black Flame.

  A former journalist, Arnopp is the author of the non-fiction book How To Interview Doctor Who, Ozzy Osbourne And Everyone Else (2011).

  Arnopp runs a website here, has an official Facebook page here and can be found on Twitter here.

  As you can see, he is an expert at talking about himself in the third person.

  BY THE SAME AUTHOR

  A SINCERE WARNING ABOUT THE ENTITY IN YOUR HOME

  "Dear friend,

  This is no chain letter, hoax or prank.

  It is a sincere warning about your home and the entity which dwells within.

  Your home has been haunted for quite some time..."

  A NEW CONCEPT IN FEAR...

  Imagine a supernatural horror story in which the paranormal activity happens within YOUR home.

  The 10,000-word short story A SINCERE WARNING ABOUT THE ENTITY IN YOUR HOME is presented as an anonymous letter to YOU, which has been sent to YOUR address. It details the terrifying events which happened in your home and which continue to this day.

  You have inherited a curse and are being preyed upon by a terrifying apparition. This letter from the previous resident advises you how to cope, while detailing the unthinkable ordeal they suffered before you.

  A SINCERE WARNING ABOUT THE ENTITY IN YOUR HOME is the ultimate way to scare yourself at home, because it's the only ghost story which takes place IN your home. Dare you read it?

  This story is available in BOTH Ebook and Paper Editions. The Paper Edition consists of a bespoke, physical letter mailed to your home address! For full details, head to ScaryLetter.com

  "This book ruined my night and got me out of bed an hour early. Powerful stuff indeed! Jason Arnopp owes me sleep!" – Michael Thompson, reader

  "Superb stuff, little hooks and phrases keep popping into my forebrain at 3am to make me anxious. Brilliant read, and a steal at this price" – 'Skippa', Amazon UK reviewer

  "The creepiest thing I have read in an age. I read half of it and woke up gasping for breath!" – reader Stuart Lemon, Oxfordshire, UK

  "Highly original, chilling tale. I made the mistake of reading it alone, after dark, and couldn't sleep afterwards... Thoroughly and terrifyingly enjoyable" – reader Marjorie Taylor, Wiltshire, UK

  Head to ScaryLetter.com now!

  HOW TO INTERVIEW DOCTOR WHO, OZZY OSBOURNE AND EVERYONE ELSE

  "This guide to interviewing is tremendous fun, with some genuine insight into the whole process. Fascinating stuff, and properly amusing too. Brilliant!" – Tom Spilsbury, editor of Doctor Who Magazine

  "With a great sense of humour and a sharp ear for the telling quote, Jason Arnopp is an interviewer who always gets the goods. Read and learn" – Andrew Harrison (The Word's Editor-At-Large and former Editorial Director of Q, Mixmag and Smash Hits).

  "Boy, I wish this book had been around when I started out. You can buy it as a PDF direct from the author for less than the cost of most magazines, and I'd advise new journalists to do so" – Catherine Bray

  Want to learn how to interview people as a journalist? Or maybe you're curious about exactly how journalists interview people? How To Interview Doctor Who, Ozzy Osbourne And Everyone Else will be your guide.

  Drawing on 23 years of experience and with over 1000 interviews behind him, Jason Arnopp aims to tell you everything he knows about interrogating the great and good. While Arnopp has spent these decades interviewing celebrities and rock stars like Ozzy Osbourne and Doctor Who star Matt Smith for the likes of Heat, Doctor Who Magazine, Q, SFX and Kerrang!, the vast majority of the principles described here will also apply to quizzing a Marrow Of The Year winner for your local newspaper.

  Written in a nuts 'n' bolts, conversational style, How To Interview... packs in over 28,000 words of practical wisdom. You'll learn about the craft of interviewing, all the way from deciding how you'll record your interviews, to devising questions, to dealing with various types of interviewee, to writing and editing your article. Beyond that, however, you'll get a real feel for what it's like out there on the front-line. The surprises which PR folk may spring on you when you arrive to conduct your interview. The challenge of getting a reluctant, or even downright angry, interviewee to warm to you and open up. Even what to do when you realise that your recording device has failed to record the interview!

  Arnopp includes a few brief anecdotes from rock history, to provide examples and flavour. You'll find out what happened when one magazine sent a work experience perso
n to interview a rock legend. What happened when one journalist believed he'd become best mates with a pop-punk band. And what happened when the author faced off against hostile metal band Pantera in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

  Sections in the book include the following:

  Five Qualities That Make For A Good Interviewer

  Seven Ways To Set Your Interviewee At Ease

  The Eight Types Of Interviewee

  Fandom Vs Professionalism

  The PR Establishes A No-Go Area

  Can An Interviewee Ever Become Your Friend?

  Underhand Tactics & Grey Areas

  Becoming A Fly On The Wall

  The Dreaded Roundtable Interview

  Transcription: A Necessary Evil

  How Verbatim Do You Need To Be With Those Quotes?

  The Structure Of An Interview Article

  Author Arnopp even throws in a personal guarantee: if you're left with an unanswered question, you can ask it courtesy of a special Formspring account!

  For more details, go to: www.HowToInterviewPeople.info

  "Jason Arnopp is one of those ludicrous, funny people who manages to get the most reticent of stars to tell him things that they really shouldn't. As a journalist, he is blessed with a remarkable bedside manner. He might be able to teach you a thing or two" – Phil Alexander (Mojo Editor-In-Chief and former Kerrang! Editor)

  "It was my very happy experience to work with and read Jason Arnopp for a number of years on Kerrang! Jason's interviews were always funny, smart, passionate… blah, blah, blah. But one singular thing marked him apart in his field – he had the invaluable ability to ask the unexpected question that caught both subject and reader off guard, and unfailingly meant you found out something new about whomever he was interviewing" – Paul Rees (former Editor of Q and Kerrang!)